As kids get prepared for the final months of the school year, several parents are pondering about what they can do to fixate their kids with for the summer. How about a zombie survival camp?

The first ever zombie survival camp will available to the public in Portland, Oregon where actors portray real-life zombies while campers will be trained in the best way to dispose of them. The aim of the camp is to blend fun with significant skills. Groups of campers partake in an assortment of movie-inspired zombie settings throughout a 2 day course. Instructors teach campers combat skills such as throwing axes, using a sword, constructing an outdoor fire and acquiring shelter.

The zombie craze has become enormously popular in western pop culture with many movies (28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, Resident Evil), books (World War Z, The Zombie Survival Guide) and television series (The Walking Dead) surfacing.

Why do individuals love zombies so much? People love the thought of the world existing in complete anarchy. Civilization must survive in small groups and trust each other in order to survive the epidemic. Unlike vampires and werewolves, zombies appear less mythological since they are the closest to humans – resurrected dead corpses.

So once the apocalyptic epidemic begins changing people into zombies, will your kids be prepared?

What are life hacks you ask? Well, they are little hacks that make your life a little easier. The following “hacks” may help you be more organized, solve solutions in an inexpensive way, do things a lot quicker and maybe teach you something you never knew before.

500,000 ElectionBuddy Ballots and counting… and with it the top 5 500,000 fact list

• The hex colour is a Cherry Red… http://www.colorhexa.com/500000
• Bob McKenzie passed the500,000 twitter follower mark
• Speleothems Reveal 500,000-Year History of Siberian Permafrost
• On the election front…  big elections like the one in Hawaii have issues too
• And on the voting front…  in 1966, Serviceman were seen casting 500,000 ballots for the US president election…

Thanks to all the loyal users… next stop, 750,000 ballots!

It may be true that “every girl is crazy about a sharp dressed man,” but EventIQ president Dave Bodnarchuk proved dressing for the part can also be profitable.

The same man who once spent his whole pay-cheque on suits, won a contest for being the best dressed Canadian during a reception largely made up of U.S. citizens at a conference in Washington, D.C.

He was wearing — what else — a hockey jersey, with a big Canadian Maple Leaf (the symbol, not the team) on the front.

Besides the hospitality shown by the NAACO conference organizers and meeting a lot of awesome people, Dave winning a Tim Horton’s card was definitely a highlight. A Timmie’s Card is about as familiar as a Hoser to our friends below the 49th parallel so Dave was the envy of many Canucks in the room.

Upon hearing his name called, Dave immediately lept up out of his seat and bounced around the room; his elbow narrowly missing another delegates’ chin.

Next year the event is in Seattle so the hockey jersey may not be that foreign to those folks…but to win another Tim’s Card, Dave may have to bust out his Don Cherry-like suits from the closet (kidding Dave – you have way better style than Cherry!).

Like Paul Revere galloping through the night to warn his neighbors that the British Invasion was coming, the InviteRight team is charging to Washington, D.C. this weekend with equal vigor.

We’re going to the North American Association of Commencement Officials (NAACO) conference to chat with commencement and special event organizers from all over North America. So it was with great interest that I read the following blog from The George Washington University’s Student Activity Centre. Here are some of the local landmarks they suggest you visit in the D.C. area:

1.  Take your binoculars to the National Cathedral and find…Darth Vader? After you view the impressionable stained glass windows and beautiful architecture within the cathedral, make your way outside and search for the infamous villain sculpted into the northwest tower of the Cathedral.

2.  Take a trip down historic U Street; get your last half-smoke or burger from Ben’s Chili Bowl.

3.  Spend a nice evening in Old Town, Alexandria. Catch a local spotlight band on Thursday evenings at the Torpedo Factory or visit George Washington’s Masonic Memorial.

4.  Need to get out of the concrete jungle? Grab a friend and get your paddle on around the Tidal Basin!  More info at http://www.tidalbasinpaddleboats.com/index.htm.

5.  Discover a Speakeasy – Have you ever noticed the random unmarked door between Marvin Bistro & Bar and Jin Lounge on U Street? Do you know where the blue light is on King Street? There is good reason for the confusion and secrecy! You’re not supposed to find a speakeasy unless you’re told how to!  Click on the following link to PX Lounge on King Street or call The Gibson on U Street (202) 232-2156 for more information.

If you want to read what the other landmarks that GWU students suggest are must-see’s, click here.

Besides gawking at the Oval Office, the Lincoln Memorial and soaking up the atmosphere in Georgetown, what is the eventIQ team doing in Washington, D.C. next month?

We’re there to exhibit and take part in the North American Association of Commencement Officials (NAACO) conference Feb. 17-19.

Once a year, NAACO members (we’re members and also sponsors) gather to celebrate the professional rapport and camaraderie they share with other commencement and convocation officers. Besides sharpening their leadership skills and gaining valuable insight into all things graduation, members network and share new ideas.

So how does SchoolTools fit into this equation? When it comes to online software, we are uniquely qualified to work with schools of all sizes for their commencement needs. No two ceremonies are alike and many times there’s other events happening around the ceremony too.

How InviteRight makes graduation great:

1. Graduation Banquet Ticket Sales with
2. Commencement Seating in theatre style venues
3. Grad Photo Session Scheduling and sitting fees
4. Collecting Cap and Gown sizes and rental fees or deposits

Watch our Twitter feed @InviteRight for updates from the show where we will share some of our experiences from the conference.

Students these days don’t seem to have a problem downloading music or the latest app, but when it comes to learning how to keep their piggy bank full they are lacking in practical knowledge.

That is changing thanks to the Chartered Accountants Education Foundation of Alberta (CAEF), which created a financial resource learning website, called themoneyproject.ca.

Budding bankers at Holy Trinity High School tested the site and gave it a good review. Most of the comments were around how they realize IT IS possible to save for university or college, even while working part-time.

While the website is geared towards high school students, anyone can jump on the site to read tips, articles and videos on financial literacy and take a survey to see what kind of spender you are. To take the survey, follow this link: http://www.themoneyproject.ca/resources/moneysurvey.

Let me know if you take the survey and whether it will influence your behaviour around money.

Well he didn’t get on the front page of SportsNet news for winning the Stanley Cup but he still looks great in a jersey! Our team Captain, Dave Bodnarchuk and the Tour of Alberta team announced their phenomenal race, scheduled to debut Sept 3rd-8th 2013

Hats off to the Rural Alberta Development Fund and everyone else involved in this getting this fantastic event off the group.

photo from sportsnet.ca

Graduation is expensive and Grad coordinators are always looking to reduce costs. Click on the Youtube link below to listen to a clip from our recent Graduation Best Practices Seminar and learn how schools across Canada are fundraising thousands of dollars for their Grad.

Graduation Best Practices Seminar – Fundraising Tips

Want even more tips on how to improve your Grad? Be sure to check back to the EventIQ blog for all of the tips shared at our recent seminars hosted in Edmonton and Winnipeg. Each year’s discussion has been more spirited than the last and we’re looking forward to sharing the knowledge that we’ve gained with schools that were unable to attend.

Excited to join in the discussion?  Come to the next free Graduation Best Practices Seminar hosted in Calgary! On Jan 29th 2013 at Western Canada High School or meet us in Regina on February 22nd at the Conexus Arts Centre to speak to grad coordinators, business managers, parent volunteers and administrators for lunch and an afternoon of networking and discussion regarding all things Grad.

Schools of all sizes attend the seminar to gather tons of great ideas about increasing student involvement, fundraising tips and ways to lower the cost of grad. Learn the ways to cut down your workload and key strategies to make your 2013 grad a success!

RSVP today and make 2013′s grad the best your school has ever seen!

RSVP for the 2013 Calgary seminar

RSVP for the 2013 Regina seminar